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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25893943">she's the tear in my heart (my heart is my armor)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory/pseuds/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory'>askmeaboutmyoctopustheory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gwenpool Strikes Back, West Coast Avengers, X-Men (Comicverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, Idiots in Love, Language of Flowers, Light Angst, Pining, Regeneration, X-force (2019) spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:28:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,236</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25893943</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory/pseuds/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen woke up to a note from Quentin saying that he was gone on another mission and a coffee mug full of white violets. That was the most she heard from him for weeks. </p>
<p>----</p>
<p>Hanahaki AU because x-force gave us a lot to work with</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen Poole/Quentin Quire, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>she's the tear in my heart (my heart is my armor)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ok this was definitely supposed to be like half the length but somehow it got away from me and here we are</p>
<p>this hurt me and made me feel a lot of things and i'm hoping it does the same for you (in the best way)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Quentin wasn’t surprised to see Gwen coming through the Krakoan gate. He knew that if anyone were capable of overwriting the “mutant-only” stipulations, it would be her. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> surprised at her hugging him so violently that they tumbled onto the soft grass. It didn’t take a telepath to understand why his shirt had stains from her tears either. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s had a rough year.” was the easiest way Quentin could think to explain it to Logan, as Gwen popped in and out of existence, talking to an invisible entity.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He only hesitated for a moment after Logan left them alone before jerking his head. “You up for a little trip?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen just looked at him slightly incredulously. “More of a trip than I’ve already been on? Sure why not.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They locked eyes and just seemed to be searching each other’s faces for a moment before Gwen stepped into his space and looped an arm around his waist. He mirrored the motion and they both held each other as he kicked off the ground, higher and higher until the Krakoan treeline blurred. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow.” Gwen whispered. “This is really- I’m here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Quentin swallowed a bit. “That uh. Might be partially my doing. On accident.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I’m trying to show you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin dipped into a bay that was hidden by densely packed trees and there was a smaller land outcropping a few hundred yards offshore. He flew down close to the water as they approached the small patch of land, Gwen’s toes almost skimming the surface of the water.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their feet landed on the soft white sand of the smaller island and Quentin straightened up. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome to Krakoa. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My</span>
  </em>
  <span> Krakoa.” he said with a half smile, shoving his hands in his pockets. His body felt like it was burning from where he had been touching her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You have your own island?” Gwen raised an eyebrow at him but hiked up the shore a bit to see the driftwood shack that was set up on the leeward side of the tiny island. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He laughed softly. “I kinda do. This Krakoa found me while I was at Xavier institute, nearly destroyed Manhattan and almost killed Jubes. But I first encountered him, this Krakoa, when I was-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“At Jean Grey School and the New York board of Education was attacked by Hellfire Club and you were able to telepathically get through to this Krakoa.” Gwen finished. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin blinked. “Uh. Yeah. I think when Krakoa spawned he kept contact with some part of my subconscious and that’s how you got here. Or. I don’t know, you coulda got here on your own accord too.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He cleared his throat to get rid of the faint tickle he felt. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway. If you ever need to uh. Like get off mainland. I mean you can always just use one of the gates and really be anywhere in the world but if you just wanted to-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Hey.” Gwen grabbed his arm as he was gesturing, cutting off his rambling. “Thanks, Q.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin seemed to fold in on himself shrugging. “‘S nothing. We can find you some place to stay on the mainland. You just gotta plant a flower and boom, house.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Gwen’s expression was unreadable, she looked at him like she knew things that he didn’t even know about himself. Her gaze stripped Quentin down unlike another telepath or psychic mutant, made him feel exposed and uneasy. He had promised her while they were dating not to read her mind, and didn’t intend on breaking that promise even though they were no longer together. He coughed dryly again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mrr?” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Jeff!” Gwen broke her gaze to fall onto her knees on the sand and let the baby landshark jump onto her and lick her face. “Did daddy take good care of you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin smiled as he remembered all their walks along the boardwalk, splashing into the Santa Monica saltwater. Jeff had grown a bit and was better trained than he had been during their time in California. He still jumped a bit too hard, knocking Gwen over onto the sand and licking her until Quentin extracted him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey. Can I-.” Gwen faltered. “Can I stay here, with you, for a bit?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course. I come and go ‘cuz of X-force stuff but you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked relieved and Quentin wondered what he didn’t know about what she had been going through since they parted ways. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He watched her, from a distance usually, the first few days. The tickle in his throat was nearly-constant now. The coughing fits had started the first night Gwen had stayed on his island with him. The morning after he had coughed up a tiny primrose. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin had shrugged it off, figuring he had somehow swallowed it in his sleep. The third day, he had coughed up the primrose and a daffodil. That evening he ran to his bathroom while he and Gwen were eating dinner in his shack. He dry heaved several times until a strand of ivy adorned with white flowers appeared in his sink. Gwen looked at him worriedly but he waved her off and flew to Hank’s medbay.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span> in my lungs?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hank squinted at the x-rays even though they could both clearly see the vines. “It appears-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“That was rhetorical, Beastie.” Quentin said through gritted teeth. “How do I get rid of it?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hank just fiddled with his glasses like he was trying to put off saying something. “Erm. It may be too late for that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So you’re telling me I’m gonna die?” Quentin asked flatly. “Cool, thanks doc.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hank tried to say something else but Quire was already out the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin found himself on a stool at the Green Lagoon staring into space. He barely noticed Neena sliding onto the stool next to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You look rough, kid.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Dom.” He twisted his mouth before continuing. “I’m dying.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyebrows raised and she motioned at the bartender. “Wanna give me more to go off of or just get shitfaced and then tell me about it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Blob slid two shots that were a violent pink color over the bartop and Quentin downed his without blinking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neena snorted a laugh. “Second one, I guess.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Three shots later, Quentin coughed as the liquid burned his throat and quickly fell into a coughing fit. A moment later a pink camellia in full bloom was on the bartop in front of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alrighty.” Neena remarked. “Not even gonna pretend that's the weirdest thing I’ve seen but-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like I said, I’m dying” Quentin rasped as he accepted a glass of water. “There are plants in my lungs. Beast doesn’t know why.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That sucks man.” She said emphatically. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>When Quentin woke up on a couch under a hideous dice-printed blanket, he felt better than he had in several days. His head-splitting hangover was awful, but he could </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He saw Tessa looking at him with a grin as the world came into focus.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha-” Quentin </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You went a little too hard last night trying to go shot for shot with Dom.” She said gleefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tough luck.” Neena said, walking from the hallway and startling Quentin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You ...you two are…?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“God, you are dense sometimes.” Neena shooed him. “This ain't a bed and breakfast. Enjoy your hangover.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin slumped back to his shack, only to find that Gwen was nowhere to be found. He couldn’t find her on his own Krakoa, nor did he find any traces of her nearby telepathically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He asked the people closest to the shore on mainland if they had seen her, being pointed vaguely in the direction of the gates off the island. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Saaaage.” he whined as he walked into the control room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Long time, no see.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you tell me where Gwen went?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I’m not a GPS.” Sage whirled around and looked over her glasses. “She’s allowed to leave the island, just like any other resident.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I just-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Gwendolyn Poole left out the Santa Monica gate about a half hour ago.” Sage said boredly. “That answer whatever question is in that odd brain of yours?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>QUentin scowled and just sulked out of the control room. He paced back and forth near the gates for a while, until Logan came to retrieve him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suit up, bub. We got a mission.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With one last glance towards the Santa Monica gate, Quentin followed Logan for the mission details.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Feelin better, Champ?” Domino asked him with a grin.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How are you not dying too?” Quentin grumbled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I always get just drunk enough to never be hungover. Dumb luck.” She replied with a wink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Quentin’s not even hungover anymore, he’s just grumpy.” Jean said as she entered the briefing room. “We’re headin’ to Terra Verde. Gotta get Cocom’s son, simple extraction, capisce?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing we ever do is simple.” Quentin muttered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Got it, Jeannie.” Logan said with a sharp eye on Quentin. “X-force, roll out.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>using that.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their bickering continued as they disappeared through the gates, while through another gate, Gwen was returning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She turned and looked back at the gate, still in awe that it recognized her and allowed her access to the mutant island. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Quentin’s on mission.” A voice interrupted her reveling. “He told me to tell you.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Gwen turned to see Gabby sitting on the ground near her, leaning against a tree and stroking her pet wolverine. Jeff growled and the furry animal also puffed himself up. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Oh?” Gwen asked after a moment. “Thanks?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“No problem. I’m Gabby, by the way. Since Q hasn’t bothered to introduce you to anyone.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I kn- Thanks.” Gwen smiled at the younger girl. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come by the lagoon tonight? You can meet some new people.” Gabby pushed herself to stand and picked up Jonathan. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh. Sure.” Gwen gave her another tentative smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had every intention of meeting Gabby at the time they agreed on but Gwen ended up falling asleep on the sofa in Quentin’s driftwood shack that she was still living in. When she jolted awake, startling a snoring Jeff off of her chest, it was already past the Lagoon’s opening time and she barely had enough time to change before going to meet Gabby. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh there she is!” Gwen heard as she tentatively poked her head into the Green Lagoon. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She saw Gabby waving enthusiastically at her from a table packed with mutants of all shapes and sizes. She recognized a few of them but there were some that were new faces since she had switched universes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi. uh...”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Hey Gwen.” She was surprised by Glob speaking first, knowing her name and cracking a smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know who...I am?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“God, yeah. Quire was such a little bitch for a while before you got here.” a boy covered in eyeballs piped up from the other end of the table. “I’m Trevor, by the way. Don’t know if you know who I am. He and I were classmates and he was damn near insufferable.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.” Gwen felt a bit overwhelmed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Getcha a drink? Blob’ll make you anything.” Glob jerked his head towards the bar. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen started to feel caged in. She was only a bit terrified of being intoxicated and letting it slip that she wasn’t actually a mutant. But she was on Krakoa, right? And that’s what counted. She didn’t think any of the immediate party were telepathic so she just allowed a few drinks to be bought in honor of her first night out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen was chatting with Trevor and Benji when she overheard Daken at the table he and Gabby were perched on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s the over-under on if Quire’s comin’ back alive from this one?” He asked gleefully with a cackle, only cut off when Gabby elbowed him sharply in the side and nodded to where Gwen was looking over at them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m gonna head out, guys.” Gwen told nobody in particular. “Thanks for… y’know”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Trevor’s many eyes looked at her in a way that made her feel a little uneasy but he nodded knowingly. “Glad you came out, Gwen. See you around?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She exited quietly and made her way to the bay where Mini-Krakoa had made ground. Gwen toed her shoes off and waded through the shallow bay. There was a flicker of light inside the shack and she blindly groped at her pocket, cursing at herself for not stashing her usual throwing knife in her shorts. She eyed around for her white space if she needed a quick escape and grabbed a pointy-looking stick before kicking down the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin jumped about a foot in the air and a burst of TK-glow appeared above his hand as he whirled around.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Q...oh god it’s just you.” Gwen sighed in relief. “You’re not- You’re here.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He smiled wanly at her. “No, I’m not dead. Was Daken taking bets?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mission went well then?” She asked, throwing the stick onto the sand and shutting the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Beast and Jean went off on a stealth job.” Gwen’s face must’ve given away her confusion because Quentin laughed, which turned into a few coughs. “Yeah, I know. Beast isn’t known for his stealth field work. Hey, did you know Sage and Neena are a thing?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen thought about it. “I didn’t but, it makes sense. I’m gonna head to bed, your friends are a lot to handle all at once.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re your friends too, if you want them to be.” Quentin reminded her. “You aren’t alone anymore, pinky.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen paused at the door to the second bedroom that had manifested when she had decided to stay on Mini-Krakoa. “Thanks, brain.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Gwen woke up to a note from Quentin saying that he was gone on another mission and a coffee mug full of white violets. That was the most she heard from him for weeks. She got occasional texts from various burner numbers, usually Logan or Domino telling her not to wait for Quentin after a mission. She went out more with Glob and Trevor, went on walks with Gabby and Jonathan. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She felt something in her gut twist when she came home one afternoon to a bundle of sweet peas laying haphazardly on her bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen paced back and forth in front of the gateway that X-Force was due to come back through. She had gotten a heads-up at least that their mission had gone, predictably, sideways and that Quentin, as usual, had been the unfortunate casualty. Jeff paced along with her, bounding at her heels and offering quiet noises of comfort. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The gate started warping and Logan walked through first, Domino struggling behind him with a limp. They didn’t even have a body this time. Just Quentin’s jacket thrown over Logan’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen saw red and she didn’t fully process what she had done until she was on her tiptoes with a katana blade on Logan’s throat, a handful of his shirt clenched in her fist. Jeff had attached himself to Logan’s leg with as much vigor as his tiny body could muster. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Easy, kid…” Logan said in surprise as she brought their faces close, blade pressing close.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, how about YOU go easy for once. Does it not bother you that there seems to be one consistent casualty in all of these missions? Do you even </span>
  <em>
    <span>think</span>
  </em>
  <span> about how he might feel? About how anyone might feel or do you just not care since regeneration is possible now.” Gwen spoke with such vitriol that she nearly spat on Logan’s face. “Do you care that he can’t sleep anymore? He can’t forget all the times you've let him die?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>She had been pushing against her katana during her diatribe, forcing Logan to step back until they were backed up against a tree. Her face was splotchy with emotion and Jeff’s small growls were the only noise apart from her angered breathing. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Logan’s eyes searched her face when she seemed to lose steam. “You love him don't, ya kid?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No shit.” She said as she stepped back, wiping her nose and re-sheathing her katana. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know he’s dyin’ for you? He’s dyin’ every day, not just on mission. It’s part’a the reason that it was so eerie that those TerraVerde weirdos made him a seed pod or whatever.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen just looked at him with wet eyes. “What… What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s got-” Logan mimicked vomiting. “Flowers. In his lungs. I dunno, Hank did the x-rays. I just know that Quire doesn’t have much time in between reincarnations even if he didn’t go on missions. They’ve got his backup bodies practically overstocked like Chuck’s.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“So he’s just… going on suicide missions? For-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“For you, well, not </span>
  <em>
    <span>for</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. Because he loves you and it’s literally killing him and he still thinks he can outrun his feelings.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Idiot” Gwen said softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No shit.” Logan retorted, rubbing his neck subconsciously. “He should be comin out of the cradle soon, he was due for a regenesis soon anyway so the Five had ‘im ready.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Logan.” Gwen turned to walk away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have’ta give you any shovel talk right? Lord knows Quire lacks a father figure but I sure as hell ain’t it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen just paused and looked over her shoulder. “You know he does look up to you, in his own way? He doesn’t want you to be his dad, he just wants to do right by you. Same with Jubes, he knows you guys both took a risk. He knows he’s a risk.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Yeah, well. I guess it’s worth that risk.” Logan said gruffly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t get soft on me now, old man.” Gwen said slyly before walking away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She sat outside Arbor Magna, picking four-leaf clovers from the ground around her absentmindedly. She looked up and saw Quentin walking out of the Arbor, hands in his pockets and head down, not expecting anyone and not looking to see if anyone came for him. He looked up and saw her and his gait faltered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You- What. What are you doing here?” Quentin stammered, coughing as he did. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had the brown roots of his hair showing under the pink, the piercing holes of his ears empty and the tattoo on his arm looking like it was freshly inked. He hadn’t bothered to telepathically put himself together. He hadn’t thought he would see anyone right after rebirth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gwen felt tears well in her eyes as she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so sorry. Q, I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not your fault?” Quentin said while clearing his throat again. He felt a tear escape out of his own eye.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’m sorry for not-” Gwen looked up at him and pulled his face down for a searing kiss. “I’m sorry for making you think I don't care for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Quentin felt like he had been punched in the chest, all of his wind knocked out of him and all at once, he could </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He took huge, gasping breaths and clung to Gwen as his body swayed from the sudden changes. Their eyes were both flowing freely when he looked down at her again. </span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<span>“I’m sorry too- No I am.” Quire put a finger on Gwen’s lips to keep her from interrupting. “I never stopped loving you. I would have been happy to love you as a friend, but I should have told you.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Gwen kissed the finger on her lip. “Wanna go home?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I thought you’d never ask.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>PRIMROSE - I Can't Live Without You<br/>DAFFODIL - Regard; Unrequited Love; You're the Only One; The Sun is Always Shining When I'm with You<br/>IVY SPRIG OF WHITE TENDRILS -Anxious to Please; Affection<br/>CAMELLIA  Pink - Longing for You<br/>VIOLET  White - Let's Take a Chance on Happiness<br/>SWEET PEA - Good-bye; Departure; Blissful Pleasure; Thank You for a Lovely Time</p>
<p>comments and kudos feed my family thank u</p>
<p>find me on twitter @AskAboutOcto and yell at me to write more</p>
<p>or join the  <a href="https://discord.gg/pyVSKFF">x-men discord!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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